


Pink Lemonade

by aeraandawen



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-14 21:48:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16921011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeraandawen/pseuds/aeraandawen
Summary: Even though the path they walked on was always the same in life, they arrived at different destinations in the end. Call it a justification for the ending. ShikaIno.





	1. Chapter 1

There was always some kind of a sadness in her pale blue eyes every time he looked at her. Other people might not have noticed it – she hid it so well with her loud, rambunctious behaviour – but as someone who had grow up with her practically since they were born, he could see it very clearly.

She would laugh, tease and joke with everyone around her, but he would noticed every time she paused and collected herself before she went along with the flow. He knew sometimes she couldn't do it, but she was very good at masking her feelings. She was an actress and they were her audience, the atmosphere was her performance and she was so damn good at it.

There was nobody in this world who could understand what was going on in her head, what she was feeling, how she was doing except maybe him. Because his loss was also her loss, her pain was his pain and her sadness was his sadness as well. He faked them damn well good, too.

He stumbled upon her drinking party one night, a pure coincidence because he didn't think she had the habit of prowling the streets of Konoha so late at night. He went out of the Hokage's office, tired, with one mission in his head but upon seeing a familiar colour tucked in one corner under the flap that night, the plan went awry.

"You shouldn't be drinking alone." He said as he pulled out a chair and sat down without her invitation.

She was halfway drunk. Her hair was down and carefree, her cheeks were blushed pink. She looked so pretty in the dimmed light. Yet, her eyes held the same sadness, deeper than he had ever seen before.

"Couldn't sleep." She replied. "You?"

"Just finished a troublesome work for the Hokage." He just realized how tired he was and found himself wanting a drink. Sleep could wait. He signalled an order.

"You are important now, Shikamaru." She said softly, lips curling at the corners and downed another cup. On and on they poured themselves drinks and drank and drank until sobriety eased and consciousness replaced.

He began to look at her from a new angle, and noticed many things he had missed before. How soft and lush her lips must have been when kissed. How delicious her throat looked if bitten. How inviting the hint of cleavage peeking from her shirt. He pulled his invasive gaze back to her face only to find her half-lidded eyes were trained on him, unreadable and smouldering blue as she regarded him the same way.

"I'm done." She slammed a couple of notes on the table and stood, a bit swaying but her training quickly corrected her balance. He did the same.

"I'll walk you home." He said and fell into step beside her. They never made it home.

In a dark alley on a deserted street, their mouths fused in a savage dance of tongue and teeth. She allowed his hands under her top and inside her skirt, her fingers clawed his shirt and clung onto him as he found her sweet spot and pleasured her until her wetness coated his fingers. It didn't take long for her to undo his fly and found him erect and ready, and with a strength of a shinobi, he lifted her up and backed her against the wall with her eagerly directing his passage inside.

It was awkward and clumsy at first but soon they found their rhythm and their bodies synchronized so well as though they were in a battle. She did not make much noise except producing gasps that made puffy clouds in the cold air. He sensed she was close and he couldn't hold it anymore so he let go inside of her, fully aware of what could have been if her cycle was spot on. She didn't care.

After the tremor had passed and their feet touched the ground again, then she questioned the what ifs. Her voice sounded as if just being woken up from a dream.

He shrugged because he honestly didn't know.

One and a half months later she dumped a black and white photo onto his paperwork. He stared at the tiny black dot, stunned.

"Sure it's mine?"

She scowled. "You think I sleep around Konoha?"

He looked at her then and acknowledged that the tiny life inside of his teammate was fully, rightfully his. How could he forget how tight she was when he entered her? He had been her first and probably the only one still.

"What are we going to do?" She looked tough but he knew she was crumbling inside.

"Nothing." He answered, taking the scan and tucked it inside his vest. "We'll keep it, of course."

"Are you going to make an honest woman out of me now, Shikamaru?" Her lips curled in amusement.

He returned her smirk and shrugged once. For the first time since the war ended he was glad that her father had gone to meet his creator.

She miscarried one week after they had the conversation.

Her eyes lost the temporary spark he'd seen in that one week and returned to their usual sadness. What she felt couldn't have possibly mirror his feelings. She had experienced life inside her and he didn't know anything about it. Sure, he was responsible for the half of it but the common ground ended there.

"Are you okay?" He asked, shamelessly putting her hand in his.

"I will be." But her breath hitched like she had a stone in her throat. "You know what's worse? I feel relieved, Shikamaru."

Then she burst into tears.

He wondered how this strong, confident, beautiful woman whom he had known since childhood could be so broken. He pulled her into his familiar territory because that was all he could do.

They must be fated for experiencing losses together over and over again. But he couldn't deny that he felt the same way. It was not a good time to bring an innocent child into chaos. They needed to rebuild their village, restore the peace and forge alliances. And perhaps maintain the order so that a fifth war would never come to light.

Then it will be a good time to have children.

They were broken, but they will pick up the pieces, one at time. They will do it together. They didn't put a name on their relationship because labels were overrated. They were both professionals so it did not interfere with their work. They did not involve emotions because ninjas weren't supposed to have one. What they had was just passion; when grief hits they just want to escape and feel good. They hid it so well that hardly anybody knew what was going on between them.

They had a general knowledge of what they were to each other but two years later, Sasuke came back and changed everything.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, reviewing and leaving kudos on the last chapter. I appreciate them all!

The arrival of Konoha's ex-traitor put the village into chaos.

The lone survivor of the Uchiha clan returned for the first time after two years of traveling to seek redemption. To that day, not many people knew where he had gone to and what he was up to within those two years. The purpose of his coming back and his future plans were still vogue but the reigning Hokage and his comrades welcomed him back with open arms. After all, Sasuke was still one of Konoha greatest assets despite what he had done.

In the beginning he was left to do his own thing but a few days later, he was summoned to the Hokage's office and was steadily given missions after that. His missions were mostly S-rank and required him to leave the village for a certain amount of time. He came back every now and then, usually to give reports and his insights about possible threats and enemies. But that was not what had sent the village into an uproar.

Rumor was Sasuke was looking for a suitable woman to help him restore his clan to glory.

And every woman with eligible age to marry was fighting for that chance.

"Why are you not participating?" Choji unabashedly asked Ino one day during their team's monthly practice. Though Team 10 was no more these days they still meet once in a while to practice Ino-Shika-Cho formation.

"Throwing myself at him you mean?" Ino raised an eyebrow.

He pretended not to pay attention to the conversation but his ears were perked up.

"Not interested." She said flatly. She took a water bottle from her pack and chugged it down.

"Really?" Choji sounded sceptical.

"Truly." She wiped the excess water from her mouth. "I have no intention to marry him."

"But why?" Choji looked really puzzled. "Isn't he your type?"

This time he glanced at her, catching her eyes briefly in the process. She shrugged. "He is not a relationship material, that's all."

He looked away, not inserting his thoughts in their conversation. Talking about relationships always made them uncomfortable because they didn't put a name into theirs. They still saw each other once in a while, when loneliness crept in in the middle of the night. When they needed someone to share the unsolved grief. When they just wanted to feel good.

"Huh." Choji mulled her answer for a good minute. "Then who do you think is the relationship material, if not Sasuke?"

He coughed out loud, a little bit nervous to hear her answer. Wordlessly, she passed her bottle to him and he downed the water as if he did not drink for days. He thought she would never answer but then she hummed and her eyes had a faraway look that indicated she was thinking.

"I think Iruka is good." Her nonchalant reply sent the water out of his mouth like a jet. Choji dropped his new pack of chips. "He is stable and has a good heart."

"Don't you think he is too old for you?" Choji looked at her in disbelief.

She rolled her eyes. "I didn't say for me." She considered again. "I think if Neji is still alive I would have picked him."

He turned his face away so that nobody could see the annoyance crept up his face.

"So…you like older men." Choji muttered slowly.

She didn't agree but didn't disagree either. "Well, I think those two are relationship material."

"How about our Hokage?"

She thought for a moment. "Mmm...somehow my gut tells me that he is not interested in starting a family. He seems comfortable being single, you know."

Choji nodded absent-mindedly. "How about Gai?"

She laughed a little. "I think Gai could be a good boyfriend or husband but I think he is repulsive."

"I see." Choji hesitated a bit but proceeded to throw her another question. "Then what qualities do you look for in a guy?"

Ino stared at Choji, trying to look for the meaning behind the question. The casual conversation was going somewhere, that was certain. Was Choji interested in Ino? Shikamaru would never have thought of that.

Then she smirked. "Are you fishing for tips, Choji? Do you have someone in mind when you ask me that question?"

The chubby guy faltered, his face reddened. "N-no! I was just…curious, that's all."

She neared him, trying to sniff the truth. She could have read it straight out of Choji's mind if she wanted to but she would never use her jutsu on them for a secret. An amused smile decorated her face and for a moment, she looked genuinely excited.

"Who's the girl you set your eyes on, Choji?" Choji cringed and tried to evade her approach.

"N-none of your business!" He sputtered.

"Who?" She teased again. "Tell me!"

"Nobody!"

"Does she have dark skin?" Her question was laced with laughter.

Choji moved and she ran after him, leaving Shikamaru alone in his spot with the thoughts of her approval of Iruka and Neji, and the fact that she did not consider him at all stung his heart.

"You are mad." She said when she came to him a few nights later.

"I'm not. Troublesome woman." He grunted and turned his back on her. He felt her slipped under the covers and felt her arm circling his waist.

"You called me troublesome. You haven't called me that in such a long time."

"You haven't annoyed me as much."

"Apparently, I do now. You barely looked at me since that day. You've been avoiding me."

He closed his eyes and pretended to be sleeping. But his façade didn't last long when she showered his back with kisses.

He felt her need, strong and desperate, and made him yearn for her instantly. He turned around, stopping her wandering hand midway under the waistband of his pants and pulled her on top of him, her long hair cascaded down the sides of her face and back as she stared at him. She looked hungry. And equally sad. He wasn't able to erase that look in her eyes.

Oh, how he wished he could.

He traced her bottom lip with his calloused thumb and in a swift motion, pulled her face down to him and crushed her in a fiery kiss. She fought for dominance but he didn't let her, for once, he intended to dominate her that night.

This was what glued them together; the sweet taste of sex. Apparently, they were each other's flavor and sex without commitments with someone you trust was the most addictive one. Like a dam broke and lets out a flowing river, the thin barrier of friendship disappeared and they were now hovering near the definition of something else.

He was tired of fighting that current.

"Ino," he called her name after they were done and was answered with a soft hum. He turned and met a beautiful image of her satisfied face after the intense pleasure he gave her. Her eyes was closed and she looked radiant. She never bothered to cover up after and words just died in his mouth at the perfect spread in front of him.

"What?" Her heavy eyelids fluttered open. "Something on your mind?"

He decided not to voice his thoughts. His gut told him that it could invite a quarrell and he'd rather she spent the night with him.

And possibly had another go with each other.

"What?" She pushed, her sleepiness gone. "Will you tell me or do I have to beat it out of you?"

He sighed. There was no way out of it when she was fired up like this.

"Nothing. I just have a very stupid thing to ask."

"What is it?"

"About what Choji asked before."

She narrowed her eyes. "Were you not listening?"

He shrugged. "I did but...maybe I don't believe you."

She was silent for such a long time that he thought she had got up and left him. But yet there she was, unmoved.

"How could I line up," she finally spoke, soft as a whisper, "when my best friend is standing at the very front?"

"So the reason is Sakura?"

She looked at him in the eye. "I really don't have feelings for Sasuke anymore, Shikamaru."

Something warm like giddiness spread like a fine mist in his heart and he could not help but smile. Ever since the rumor started about Sasuke was looking for a bride, almost everybody was in the mood to look for their "one". It could not be a more perfect time to restore the population. Konoha was prospering again, and for once the alliances they forged with other villages seemed a lot stronger and trustworthy compared to the previous ties. Everybody was coupling up, even Choji was up to the game. Finally something other than food managed to catch his interest.

"If you say so, then," his fingers seek hers, "go out with me."

She stiffened.

"Go out with me," he repeated.

She let out a nervous breath. "But why? What we have is just fine."

He studied her face. "Are you ashamed to be seen with me in public?"

"No!"

"Then what is your excuse?"

"I'm comfortable with us like this. We don't need more."

"I'm not asking you to marry me, geez, you are so...nevermind."

He settled on his side of the bed and closed his eyes, feigning ignorance but deep in his heart he was hurt by her lack of interest to become something more that bed partner. It has been a few months since he toyed with the idea of making her his official girlfriend but she seemed comfortable to just being "friends with benefits" so he decided not to push it and gave her more time. It was impossible to have an intimate relationship without investing emotions in it and apparently, he was the first one falling.

"You are mad."

He did not respond because he really did not want to get into an argument with her. But she was relentless.

"Why are you affected by the rumor anyway? I thought you don't care at all."

He didn't understand himself but when Uchiha Sasuke was actively looking for a suitable partner, every male in Konoha felt competitive and rose to the challenge. Even his lazy self.

It was probably time for him to mark his territory.

"I heard something the other day." He turned, his interest caught and once again his eyes met her delicious body. All ill-feelings forgotten, he closed their distance and landed feathery kisses along her jaw, while his hand busily exploring her soft skin. He will never get enough of her sweetness. At least, he could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted with her. Her body belonged to him.

He was lucky she picked him if only for this purpose.

"I heard Naruto is going to marry Hinata."

His exploration stopped.

"Is it true?" She asked him. "You are close with Naruto, aren't you?:

To be honest, he didn't know. "Yes, but this is the first time I heard of this."

"Che. I'm hoping for some gossip but you as usual is the last to know." She pouted cutely.

He resumed his previous action but she stopped him and gave him the look. He sighed. She wanted a conversation. Fine.

"But if he is marrying Hinata does that mean that he is going to give up on Sakura?"

"Isn't that obvious?" She said in a superior tone. She always loved being a step further than him. "He is doing it for them."

"Who?"

She rolled her eyes. "Sasuke and Sakura, of course!"

He frowned, looking sceptical.

"It makes sense! Sakura loves Sasuke and Sasuke is looking for a wife. Sasuke is not making any move on Sakura because he knows Naruto loves her. So Naruto backs up and marry Hinata, who loves him since forever. So Sasuke and Sakura could finally be with each other."

"That sounds-"

"Very romantic." She sighed and had a dreamy look on her face.

"How is that romantic? Naruto is sacrificing his feelings so that the other guy could get his girl. And it is not fair to Hinata because Naruto doesn't love her. How could their marriage work if they don't love each other?"

"Well, I think it is romantic for a guy to sacrifice his feelings so that the girl he loves will end up with the one she loves."

"I cannot accept your logic."

"Naruto knows Sakura is torn between him and Sasuke. It is hard on her because she loves them both. We know that she has always love Sasuke, but she could not forget how much Naruto has done for her, and over the years, maybe she has learned to love him, too." She elaborated and he was almost convinced. "Maybe marrying Hinata is the only way to get over Sakura. Who knows? It must be hard to get over someone you loved for years."

"But that's just your assumptions, right?"

She shrugged. "Yes, but I think I'm right."

He shook his head, muttering, "yeah, you always are."

"Why do you find it hard to believe that Naruto is going to marry Hinata?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "Because...I think marriage is troublesome enough. People shouldn't do it if it's not with the person they love."

She drew a sharp breath as if she was struck. He had won that round. He met her eyes, daring her to object, but he knew she didn't have a reply to that. He had bared his heart to her and it was her turn to do whatever she wanted with it.

At long last she looked away, but not without dropping a bomb, something that he will remember for years and years to come.

"I think people in love does not necessarily end up in marriage, Shikamaru."

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for any grammar mistakes! English is my second language. Hope you will enjoy this story!


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